Electrical cable reel



Jun 9, 1942. R. K. JEFFREY ET-AL ELECTRICAL CABLE REEL Filed Nov. 4, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 /NVE/Y7'OES I Roar-:21 K JEFFREY,

AND Lawns E. MITCHELL, DECEASED RICHARD D. NICHOLS, ADMINISTRATOR,

ATT'Y K. JEFFREY, AN D E. MITCHELL, Dzczaszn,

D. NICHOLS ADMINISTRKTDR 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 9, 1942. R. K. JEFFREY ETAL ELECTRICAL CABLE REEL Flled Nov 4, 1940 June 1942' R. K. JEFFREY ETAL ELECTRICAL CABLE REEL Filed Nov. 4, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Wm N 5w we QR aw OF C TF m EDM T mfi /w mm M aim bb WD m Patented June 9, 1942 ELECTRICAL CABLE REEL Robert K. Jeflrey, Columbus, Ohio, and Lewis E. Mitchell, deceased, late of Columbus, Ohio, by Richard D. Nichols, administrator, Columbus, Ohio, assignors to The Jeffrey Manufacturing Company, a corporation of Ohio Original application May 6, 1938, Serial No.

206,448, now Patent No. 2,263,779, dated November 25, 1941. Divided and this application November 4, 1940, Serial No. 364,322

17 Claims.

This invention relates to an electrical cable reel and particularly to such a reel which is constructed and adapted to be used in connection with a mining machine, or other in apparatus, though its use is not so limited.

An object of the invention is to produce an improved device of the above class which is extremely rugged in construction and in which the moving parts are entirely enclosed and fully protected.

Other objects of the invention will appear hereinafter, the novel features and combinations being set forth in the appended claims.

This application is a division of our application Serial No. 206,448 filed May 6, 1938, for an improvement in Mining machines, now Patent No. 2,263,779 dated Nov. 25, 1941.

In the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic plan View showing a mining machine incorporating the structure of our invention; 1

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the rear end of the mining machine of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 4 is a sectional elevatlonal view taken on the line 44 of Fig. 3 looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Figs. 5 and 6 are sectional elevational views taken on the lines 55 and 6-6, respectively, of Fig. 3 looking in the direction of the arrows.

In Fig. 1 of the drawings there is illustrated diagrammatically a mining machine which incorporates the improved electrical cable reel of our invention. The mining machine is disclosed in full detail in our parent application above identified, of which this application is a division, and so no attempt will be made to describe it except very generally.

Said mining machine includes a truck 45 which supports a turntable 1| upon which it is mounted for adjustment in a vertical planea supplemental frame I09 which has a forwardly extending neck carrying a turnover head mechanism 159 which provides for variousadjustments of kerf cutting mechanism I60. Extending rearwardly from and supported by the truck 45 is a platform 545 which carries a considerable amount of mechanism, the truck end supporting mechanism being shown in detail in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

Referring particularly to said Fig. 2 of the drawings, it will be seen that the platform 545 carries thereon an electric motor 56! which is adapted to drive a large number of operating mechanisms, the one of particular interest insofar as the invention herein specifically disclosed and claimed is concerned being the electrical cable reel mechanism 659.

It may be pointed out that the cable reel mechanism 659 may be operated from reversible motor 56l under the control of an operator on seat 595 through a gear train including pinion '565, gear 561 which is keyed to shaft 568 and which may be selectively connected to or disconnected from gear 598 as described in complete detail in the above mentioned parent application, which gear 598 meshes with and drives gear 599. An appropriate jaw clutch which is described in detail in the parent application above is provided by which gear 599 may be selectively connected to or disconnected from -a chain sprocket 632 for driving electrical cable reel mechanism 659. Shifting movement of this clutch is effected by pivoted spring pressed shipper 633 which keeps the clutch in normal engagement and which is pivoted to shaft 634 and operable by rod 635 and crank 636 carried at the end of a shaft 631 appropriately journaled in bracket 594 and having an operating handle 638 associated therewith which is operable by an operator on seat 596.

Attention is now directed particularly to Figs. 5 and 6 and to the construction of the electric cable reel and mechanism associated therewith. The previously mentioned sprocket 632 (Fig. 2) drives a chain 658 which, in turn, drives a sprocket 669 (see Fig. 3) which drives a cable reel 659 upon which is reeled an electric mined pull is exerted by electric cable 660 on reel 659 said clutch 610 will slip. The clutch 610 comprises a central disc 61! keyed to shaft 568 and carrying on opposite faces clutch lining rings 612 compressed against disc 61l by outer discs 613 and 614 which are attached together by elongated bolts 615 and are urged toward each other and against clutch lining rings 612 and disc 611 by coil springs 61-6. The sprocket 669 is keyed to a flange of the disc 613. It is thus evident that movement of the sprocket 669 will be transmitted to shaft 668 through the clutch 610 but will permit slippage between the two.

It maybe noted that the shaft 668 is journaled in a bracket 61'! removably attached to plate 618, welded to side plate 541 of platform 545 and is retained in place by disc 519 attached to shaft 668 by screw 680. Lubricating fitting B8I is provided for the bearing end of shaft 668.

The shaft 668 also has cooperating therewith a brake mechanism 682 which. prevents overrunning of the cable reel 659 when the cable 660 is being pulled therefrom, which takes place without any driving connection to the cable reel 659 from the shaft 602. That is, the cable 660 is led out while the mining machine moves forward. It may further be stated in this connection that the driving relation between theshaft 602 and the reel 659 is only effected to haul in the cable 660.

It is further to be noted that the compound screw reeling mechanism BBI is driven from the shaft 668 by a sprocket 583 (Fig. 3) and a chain 684 (Fig. 2) which cooperates with a drive sprocket of the compound screw reeling mechanism 66L 7 At its other end the drum 652 of cable reel 659 is supported upon an upright plate 685 attached torbottom plate 546 of platform 545 and which carries a stationary bearing ring 686 supported from plate 685 by a plurality of spaced 9 stub shafts 531 welded to the plate 685. The ring 685 is provided with a journal bearing 688 which receives a cooperating ring 689 rigidly attached to and forming part-of the drum 662.

A retaining ring 590 is attached to ring 689 and an elongated cylinder 693 of insulating material and, a shorter clamping cylinder 694, preferably formed of metal.

Mounted upon the cylinder 693 is a pair of spaced slip rings 695 and 696 which are rigidly attached thereto as by screws and which are provided withterminal blocks 69'! and 698, re-

spectively, adapted to receive the ends of electric cable conductors 699 and 109, respectively, by which power is supplied to the electrical mechanisms of the mining machine including electric motor 56L The cable conductors B99 and 100 are extended from cap 69! through conduit 'HJI.

It is, of course, evident that the cable conductors 699 and T00, the slip rings 695 and E95 and the cylinder 6&3 of insulating material are all stationary while the cable reel 653 rotates whenever electric cable Bfiil is drawn out or pulled in, and it is necessary to provide electric conductors between the conductors in cable (569 and cable conductors t9?v and mu. Therefore, within the drum 662 there is mounted a base H32 of insulating material upon which is supported a pair of terminal blocks Hi3 and 194 which receive conductors I05 and 105, respectively, the other ends of which are attached to similar terminals,

one of which is seen at 168 and mounted upon insulating base ll!!! carried by a bracket H6 formed integral with hub N7 of drum 6M which receives shaft 668, and by end spiderl'ifl, as best illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings. Conductors Hi5 and T36 extend through partition 661 by way of stuffing boxes I20 and 121, respectively.

As best seen in Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings, it is to be noted that the terminal blocks I03 and 104 are provided with arms I I0 and H I, respectively, which carry removable contacting fingers H2 and H3, respectively, which have sliding contact with the slip rings 695 and 596, respectively. It will be noted by reference to Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings that contacting fingers H2 and H3 and the slip rings 695, 696 are in a totally enclosed housing whereby they are fully protected, and that access to said housing is gained by a pair of removable threaded doors 1 l4 formed in opposite sides of the drum 662.

Reverting to Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings, it is to be noted that the terminals for the conductors and 106, one of which is seen at 108, are protected by a removable cover H5. It is also to be noted that this portion of the drum 662 is of'generally open construction formed by four circumferentially spaced T shaped struts H9 extending between. and formed integrally with partition or web: 661 and spider H8 providing ready access of the electric cable 660 to the terminals, one of which is seen at l08'.' It will thus be. seen that. any pull on the cable 660 which is transmitted to the reel 659 will be received by friction between the contacting convolutions of the cable 666 or will be received by the base 109 which is rigidly attached to the web 66'] of cable reel 659 and no pulling force will be transmitted to the conductors 105 and 1'96 one the terminal blocks H13 and Hi l.

From the above description it is evident that a very rugged construction has been provided for the cable reel and one in which the electrical contacts between the stationary and moving parts are totally enclosed thus fully protected, while access thereto is provided by the readily removable threaded doors or cover plates H4.

Furthermore, it is a very simple matter to disconnect the cable 660 and thereby renew it withoutrequiring access to the enclosure which protects the contacts above mentioned; that is,

by the simple expedient of disconnecting the terminals of cable 560 from block 09, a new cable can be supplied or the cable may be detached for repairs, this insulating base or block 109 being mounted in the open part of drum 662 whereby it is readily accessible whenever the cable 660 is unwound.

In theoperation of the mining machine the cable 660 is paid out by merely pulling on it against the relatively weak friction of brake 682 which is sufiicient, however, to maintain the cable 630 properly wound on the reel 659 by preventing slack forming therein. When the machine is propelled rearwardly the cable 666 is hauled in by virtue of the fact that reel 659 is driven from the motor 56! as above described, the drive mechanism including the friction clutch 610 which will readily slip in case there is a tendency to pull in the cable 660 faster than the travel of the machine would accommodate.

Obviously those skilled in the art may make various changes in the details and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the claims hereto appended, and we therefore wish not to be restricted to the precise construction herein disclosed.

Having thus described and shown an embodiment of our invention, what we desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States'is:

1'. A cable reel comprising a drum having an interior partition intermediate its ends dividing it into an enclosing portion and an open portion, stationary supporting means for the one end of said drum including a closing cap for said enclosing portion, a stationary insulating cylinder supported by said cap and extending into said enclosing portion, stationary slip rings carried by said cylinder, rotary contacting fingers contacting said slip rings and protected by said enclosing portion, conductors connected to said fingers and extending through said dividing partition, and anchor terminals for said conductors in said open portion.

2 A cable reel comprising a drum having spaced end plates, a partition intermediate the ends of said drum dividing it into an enclosing portion and an open portion, stationary means for supporting the end of said drum adjacent said enclosing portion for rotation while providing a closure therefor comprising a ring provided with a removable cap, a stationary insulating tube carried by said cap and projecting into said enclosing portion, stationary conductor slip rings carried by said tube, a base of insulating material within said enclosing portion, rotary contacting fingers carried by said base and wiping said rings, anchor terminals carried by said open portion of said drum, and conductors extending from said fingers and anchored to said anchor terminals.

3. A cable reel for electrical cables comprising a drum and spaced end walls extending radially outwardly therefrom said drum having an enclosing portion extending from one end Wall and an open portion extending from the other end Wall, a partition in said drum between the enclosing portion thereof and the open portion and spaced from the planes of the end walls, a conductor extending through said partition, a terminal base in the enclosure for one end of said conductor, a terminal base in the open portion of said drum for the other end of said conductor and readily accessible through said open portion, and a driving shaft connected to one end of said drum without extending through said partition.

4. A cable reel for electrical cables comprising a cylindrical drum having spaced end walls extending radially outwardly, a partition intermediate the planes of such end walls between a closed portion of the drum and an open portion thereof, conductors extending through such partition, and a terminal base in the open portion of the drum, the open portion of the drum being located between the adjacent end wall and said partition for free access to the said terminal base from the winding space of the reel.

5. An electrical cable reel comprising a drum formed at one portion of its reeling area as a continuous cylinder and at another portion of its reeling area as an open structure, an enclosing partition for one end of said continuous cylinder, rotary means cooperating with the open portion of said drum to drive it, stationary enclosing and supporting means for the other end of said continuous cylinder portion of said drum including a large diameter journal bearing, a removable cap for said enclosing means, stationary terminal means carried by said cap, rotary terminal means carried inside said drum, brush and collector ring means providing an electrical path between said stationary and rotary terminal means, and conductor means extending through said partition and connected to said rotary terminal means.

' 6. 'An electrical cable reel comprising a drum formed at one portion of its reeling area as a continuous cylinder and at another portion of its reeling area as an open structure, an enclosing partition for one end of said continuous cylinder, rotary means cooperating with the open portion of said drum to drive it, stationary enclosing and supporting means for the other end of said continuous cylinder portion of said drum, a removable cap for said enclosing means, stationary terminal means carried by said cap, rotary terminal means carried inside said drum, brush and collector ring means providing an electrical path between said stationary and rotary terminal means, and conductor means extending through said partition and connected to said rotary terminal means.

7. An electrical cable reel comprising a drum with one portion of its reeling area a continuous cylinder and another portion of its reeling area an open structure, an enclosing partition for one end of said continuous cylinder, rotary means cooperating with the open portion of said drum to drive it, stationary enclosing and supporting means for the other end of said continuous cylinder portion of said drum including a large diameter journal bearing, a removable cap for said enclosing means, stationary terminal means, rotary terminal means carried inside said drum, brush and collector ring means providing an electrical path between said stationary and rotary terminal means, and conductor means extending through said partition and connected to said rotary terminal means.

8. An electrical cable reel comprising a drum having one portion of its reeling area formed as a continuous cylinder and another portion of its reeling area of open structure, an enclosing partition for one end of said continuous cylinder, rotary means cooperating with the open portion of said drum to drive it, stationary enclosing and supporting means for the other end of said continuous cylinder portion of said drum, a removable cap for said enclosing means, stationary terminal means, rotary terminal means carried inside said drum, brush and collector ring means providing an electrical path between said stationary and rotary terminal means, and conductor means extending through said partition and connected to said rotary terminal means.

9. In a device of the class described, the combination with a cable reel comprising spaced apart end Walls between which a cable is adapted to be wound on an interconnecting drum having one end portion of its reeling area continuously cylindrical and the other end portion of the reeling area of open structure, of a transverse portion within the reel to serve as a closure for the said cylindrical portion, a conductor terminal base in the said open structure readily accessible through said open structure, a conductor terminal base in the said closure, conductor means extending between the terminal bases, means mounting said cable reel for rotation, stationary conductor terminal means, and electric current collector mechanism within the closure to electrically connect the enclosed conductor terminal base with the stationary conductor terminal base.

10. An electrical cable reel comprising a rotary drum formed of spaced ends between which extends a drum formed in part of a continuous cylinder and in part of spaced axially extending members, partition means closing an end of said cylindrical portion, stationary means for closing the other end of said cylindrical portion, stationary current conducting means carried by said stationary means, rotating current conducting means carried within the closed compartment formed by said cylindrical portion and said end closing means, wiping current transferring mechanism interconnecting said stationary and rotating current conducting means, a cable terminal connector carried outside said closed compartment and by said drum adjacent said spaced axially ex ending members, and conductor means extending from said cable terminal through said partition and connected electrical to said rotating current conducting means.

11. A cable reel comprising a drum having radially outwardly extending spaced end plates, a partition extending across the drum intermediate its ends, a hub for said drum extending into it and connected to said partition, a stationary bearing for supporting one end of said drum, a shaft extending into said hub at the other end and keyed thereto for driving said drum, bearing means for supporting said shaft without extending the latter through said partition, and means including a friction clutch located outside said drum for driving said shaft to rotate said drum.

12. A cable reel comprising a drum having radially outwardly extending spaced end plates, a partition extending across the drum intermediate its ends, a hub for said drum extending into it and connected to said partition, a stationary bearing for supporting one end of said drum, a shaft extending into said hub at the other end and keyed thereto for driving said drum, said shaft extending into said hub but not through said partition, bearing means for supporting said shaft, and means for driving said shaft to rotate said drum.

13. As an article of manufacture, an electrical cable drum comprising a cylindrical portion and axially extending peripheral struts, a partition extending across the inner end of said cylindrical portion, a spider at that end of said drum adjacent said struts, and a shaft receiving hub extending between and connected to said partition and spider, the partition at the inner end of said hub preventing said shaft from extending through said partition.

14. A cable reel comprising a drum having an enclosing compartment, rotating contacts carried by said drum within said compartment, a stationary supporting ring, a removable cap secured to said ring, a support of insulating material carried by said cap to extend axially into said compartment, current collecting means mounted on said insulating support in position to co-operate with said rotating contacts, and means for completing the closure of said compartment comprising mechanism for journaling said drum to said stationary ring. 7

15. A cable reel comprising a drum, a partition in said drum intermediate the ends thereof, a stationary supporting ring, means for journaling one end of said drum to said ring, a cap connected to said ring to form a closure for one end of said drum and co-operate with said partition to form a complete enclosure within said drum, an axially extending support of insulating material carried by said cap, rotating contacts carried by the drum within said enclosure, and current collecting means carried by said insulating support within said enclosure in position to co-operate with said rotating contacts during reeling operations.

16. A cable reel comprising a drum constructed to form an enclosed compartment except for one end, rotating contacts carried by said drum, stationary means for closing the open end of said compartment comprising a stationary ring and a removable cap, an axially extending support carried by said cap, and current collector means cooperating with said rotating contacts carried by said support within said compartment.

17. A cable reel comprising a drum having an enclosing compartment within the same, stationary means for closing the open end of said compartment comprising a stationary ring and a removable cap, a support carried by said cap and extending axially into said compartment, current collector means within said compartment and comprising electrical connections relatively movable during rotation of the reel, means for directing conductors from the source of electric current through said cap to said current collecting means, and electric connections between said collectormeans and the cable adapted to be Wound on the reel, such electric connections comprising conductors and terminal bases therefor fixed to the drum to rotate therewith.

ROBERT K. JEFFREY. RICHARD D. NICHOLS, Administrator of the Estate 0 Lewis E. Mitchell,

Deceased. 

